Motor drive for an implement

ABSTRACT

An electric motor drive and handle for a body surface shaving razor, a toothbrush and like implement that can be powered from either ordinary alternating current or by a contained battery and that drives the implement and the mounting member on which it is detachably carried in a circular path that is at right angles to the surface and parallel to the teeth, the circular path being counterclockwise as viewed from the left of the implement.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,758,798 Holly 1 Sept. 11, 1973 1 MOTOR DRIVE FOR AN IMPLEMENT 3,159,859 12/1964 Rasmussen 15 22 [75] lnventorz- James A. Holly, R|chton Park, Ill. Primary Examinerwj' D Miner [73] Assignee: Hollymatic Corporation, Park Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Hickey I Forest, lll. Att0rneyl-lofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & 22 Filed: May 30, 1972 [211 pp 258,105 57 ABSTRACT An electric motor drive and handle for a body surface 152] U.S. Cl... 310/50, 15/22 g razor, a toothbrush a like p m nt that [51] Int. Cl A6lc 15/00, H02k 7/14 can be p wer fr m i h r r inary alternating eur- [58] Field of Search 310/50, 47, 80, 83; rent or y 3 n in ry nd that drives he im- 15/22 23; 74/23 plement and the mounting member on which it is detachably carried in a circular path that is at right angles [56] References Cit d to the surface and parallel to the teeth, the circular UNITED STATES PATENTS path being counterclockwise as viewed from the left of 2,095,956 10/1937. Bess 15 22 the 'mplemem' 3,394,277 7/1968 Satkunas et al BIO/83 4 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEPI 1 ma sum '1 [1F 3 FIG. 2

FIG I MOTOR DRIVE FOR AN IMPLEMENT SUMMARY O THE INVENTION One of the features of this invention is'to provide. an electric motor drive for a mounting member carrying an implement such as a razor, toothbrush and the like in which the mounting member and the implement detachably carried therewith is bodily movable in a circular path as contrasted to a rocking movement about a fulcrum, the result is that the implement operates more efficiently and faster than a similar implement moved in a rockingmovement path.

The most pertinent prior art of which applicant is aware are U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,648,787, 3,156,936 and BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is disclosed in one embodiment of the drive and handle and two embodiments of the implement in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of amotor drive and handle embodyingthe invention in combination with a surface shaving razor driven by thedrive.

FIG. 2.is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the implement being a toothbrush.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view partially broken away for clarity 'of illustration of the motor drive andhandle.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the circular face gearand camtcombination of the motor drive. 7

FIGS is a sectional view taken substantially along line .-5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the'transversely slidable block of the motor drive. 7

FIG. 7- is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsectional; view throughthe upper end'of the motor drive.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but with the parts in a different operating position.

FIG. 9 is afragmentarysectiona] view taken substantially along line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are semi-schematic side elevational views exaggerated for clarity of illustration to show the movement of a razor while it is being driven by the motorized handle of this invention.

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of a toothbrush driven by a motorized handle and of the type shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view through the toothbrush head taken substantially along line 13-13 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the bristle side of the toothbrush head.

FIG. 15 is a semi-schematic fragmentary side elevational view illustrating thecleaning action of the toothbrush when driven by the motorized handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The motorized handle 10 of this invention which is disclosed in one embodiment in FIGS. 1-9 isadapted to move in a circular motion an implement such as a razor head 11, a toothbrush head 12 or a similar implement. The handle 10 comprises an enclosing casing 13 containing in the bottom thereof an electric motor 14 which may be driven either by house current by way of an ordinary cord 15 orby a self-contained battery that may be rechargeable if desired.

The motor 14 rotates an axial shaft 16 which in turn rotates a gear 17 mounted on the shaft. This gear 17 which is coaxial with the shaft 16 engages the teeth of a circular face gear 18 that is mounted for rotation on a transverse shaft 19 the extends across the casing 11 and is arranged at generally right angles to the motor shaft 16.

Extending from the top end 20 of the casing 13 through an opening 21 in this end is a mounting member 22 comprising an elongated flat shaft whose inner end is held for longitudinal sliding movement in a groove 23 in the block 24.

The block 24 as shown in detail in FIG. 6 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel transverse grooves 25 for transverse sliding reciprocation on a pair of similarly shaped and spaced ridges 26 that form a part of a side retaining member 27 within the casing 13. Between the grooves 25 the block 24 is provided with a transversely elongated slot 28 through which the shaft 19 is adapted to extend for permitting the lateral reciprocation of the block 24 as illustrated by the arrow 29 in FIG. 6.

I Located on the side of the flat shaft 22 that is opposite the retaining groove 23 is the circular face gear 19 which may be a molded plastic material and having integrally formed therewith a cam 30 so that the gear 18 and cam 30 may be of one piece molded construction. This cam is generally rectangular with arcuate end surfaces 31 and 32 that form parts of a circle whose center 33 is offset from the center 34 of rotation of the gear 18 and thus the center of the shaft 19 around which gear 18 is rotated. This spacing of the centers is illustrated by the center lines 35 and 36 in FIG. 6. The dis tance between these centers 33 and 34 thereby determines the radius of the circle through whichthe mounting member shaft 22 is moved by rotation of the cam As shown most clearly in FIGS. 7-9, the camso' r0- tates within a circular opening 42 in the bottom of the implement shaft 22 and during this rotation recipro cates the flat shaft 22 longitudinally as illustrated by the arrows 37 and 38 in FIGS. 7 and 8 while at the same time movingthe block 24 laterally first to'the right as viewed in FIGS. 7 and 8 and indicated by the arrow 39 and then in the opposite direction on continued counterclockwise rotation 40 of the cam.

The result of this very simple drive for the implement is that the implement 11 or 12 is moved in a circular path and this circular path is achieved by bodily movement of the flat shaft 22 on which the implement is mounted. By this is meant that the shaft 22 and the implement thereon moves as a unit in a circle while the central axis 41 of the shaft 22 retains its longitudinal position, that is, it is not rocked through an angle as is true of the prior art motor drives but throughout the movement of the shaft retains the same angular position with respect to the handle 10.

The direction of rotation is such that the circular path is counterclockwise when viewed from the left. Thus in connection with the razor head 11 as illustrated in FIGS. and 11 the circular path 43 is at right angles to the surface being shaved such as the cheek of the operator as illustrated at 44 so that the cutting edge 45 of the razor goes forwardly to contact the cheek, then down, and then away from the cheek as shown in FIG. 11 and back up and ground again. This provides a very fast cutting that is painless and even in the case of men with very heavy whiskers produces a rapid shave even in the absence of lather but using only plain water.

In one embodiment of the invention the circular path 43 which is shown exaggerated in FIGS. and 11 for illustrative purposes had a radius of only about onesixteenth inch and even in this small path the motor drive draws the blade down against the face, away from the face, up and returns it to the face at a speed that is very high, thus on one model the rotation was about 2,000 rpm and it is preferred for best results that it not be substantially less than about 1,500 rpm.

This circular rotary motion of the motorized handle shaft 22 is also very effective in operating the toothbrush head 12 which as shown by a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 is turned at right angles to the position of the razor 11 when mounted on the hangle. The motorized handle drive is particularly effective when using a brush head with the yieldable brush elements disclosed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 131,246, filed Apr. 5, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,442 dated Aug. 15, 1972.

As is illustrated there the brush head 46 has a hollow interior 47 in which are mounted side-by-side transversely elongated brush elements 48. Each element which contains two tufts 49 of bristles extends transversely to the length of the brush head 46 and is urged toward a bottom opening 50 to project the bristles 49 therethrough'by a helical spring 51 for each brush element 48. The spring 51 is positioned around a pin 52 foreach element 48 so that the normal unstressed condition of the springs is to hold the brush elements in the position shown in FIGS. 12-14. During pressure on the end of the tufts or bristles 49 as by brushing teeth shown schematically in FIG. 15 the resulting pressure on the brush elements causes them to retract within the hollow interior 47. As soon as the brushing pressure is removed, of course, the springs immediately project the bristles outwardly again.

Therefore, the brush illustrated in FIGS. 12-15 depends for efficient cleaning action on all teeth surfaces not so much by the flexing of the'bristles but by the yielding of the brush elements. This makes this type of brush head ideally suited for the circular counterclockwise rotary movement of the brush head as illustrated by'the arrow 54in FIG. 13. Thus this combination has not only a cleaning effect but because of the rotary movement 54 of the brush head and the inward yielding of the bristles 49 produces a tooth surface brushing effect without requiring sideways bending or yielding of the bristles.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electric motor drive and handle for a surface shaving razor, toothbrush and like implement, comprising: an electric motor; a drive shaft member driven by said motor; a mounting member on which the implement is detachably carried comprising an elongated shaft extending fromthe handle; rotatable cam means interconnecting said drive member and mounting member for moving said implement through a circular path that is at right angles to said surface when said implement is said razor and that is substantially parallel to the teeth when said implement is a toothbrush, said path being counterclockwise when viewed from the left; and means mounting the shaft for simultaneous longitudinal and lateral movement for achieving said circular path, said means mounting the shaft comprises a block and means slidably retaining said elongated shaft for longitudinal movement relative to said block and quide means on which said block is operatively mounted for lateral movement during rotation of the cam.

2. The motor drive of claim 1 wherein said cam engages said shaft for movement of both the shaft and block on rotation of the cam. v

3. An electric motor drive and handle for a surface shaving razor, toothbrush and like implement, comprising: an electric motor; a drive member driven by'said motor; a mounting member on which the implement is detachably carried; a block within said handle; means in said block slidably retaining said mounting member for longitudinal movement; laterally extending guide means in said handle on which said block is slidably mounted; a cam rotated by said drive member and engaging said mounting member at right angles thereto for longitudinal reciprocation of said mounting member and lateral reciprocation of said block, thereby bringing about a circular path movement.

4. The motor drive of claim 3 wherein said drive member comprises a shaft rotatable by the motor, a first gear rotated by said shaft and a second gear rotated by said first gear at substantially right angles thereto and said means for moving said implement through a circular path comprises a cam rotated by said second gear and engaging said mounting member.

' t 1 I I! l 

1. An electric motor drive and handle for a surface shaving razor, toothbrush and like implement, comprising: an electric motor; a drive shaft member driven by said motor; a mounting member on which the implement is detachably carried comprising an elongated shaft extending from the handle; rotatable cam means interconnecting said drive member and mounting member for moving said implement through a circular path that is at right angles to said surface when said implement is said razor and that is substantially parallel to the teeth when said implement is a toothbrush, said path being counterclockwise when viewed from the left; and means mounting the shaft for simultaneous longitudinal and lateral movement for achieving said circular path, said means mounting the shaft comprises a block and means slidably retaining said elongated shaft for longitudinal movement relative to said block and quide means on which said block is operatively mounted for lateral movement during rotation of the cam.
 2. The motor drive of claim 1 wherein said cam engages said shaft for movement of both the shaft and block on rotation of the cam.
 3. An electric motor drive and handle for a surface shaving razor, toothbrush and like implement, comprising: an electric motor; a drive member driven by said motor; a mounting member on which the implement is detachably carried; a block within said handle; means in said block slidably retaining said mounting member for longitudinal movement; laterally extending guide means in said handle on which said block is slidably mounted; a cam rotated by said drive member and engaging said mounting member at right angles thereto for longitudinal Reciprocation of said mounting member and lateral reciprocation of said block, thereby bringing about a circular path movement.
 4. The motor drive of claim 3 wherein said drive member comprises a shaft rotatable by the motor, a first gear rotated by said shaft and a second gear rotated by said first gear at substantially right angles thereto and said means for moving said implement through a circular path comprises a cam rotated by said second gear and engaging said mounting member. 